Woodland Park American Legion

It's that time of year again! Saturday, May, 14th YOUR Woodland Park American Legion will be rucking through the rolling hills of Woodland Park. Traditionally, we kept the houses we visited close to the inside of our Membership and those just outside of it. This year we want to open that up. Do you know of an elderly Veteran in Woodland Park who'd enjoy a visit from us on Saturday? If you do please message us here on our FaceBook page and let us know. We will try to get to as many Veterans as possible. Thank you!

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75-year Legionnaire ‘an inspiration’ to others

75-year Legionnaire ‘an inspiration’ to others American Legion Post 90 in Statesboro, Ga., visits local hospice to honor 102-year-old Charlie Williams.

It's now easier to send Woodland Park American Legion a message.

It's now easier to send Woodland Park American Legion a message.

Before I sat down to write this, I was confronted with a problem. In the weeks since the evacuation of Afghanistan, I have spoken to many of our area’s warriors. I’ve listened to stories of sacrifice and heroism. Stories of complete joy, and devastating loss. These stories were sometimes told through tears of sorrow and the clenched jaws of anger and disgust. How to best give a light to these voices? How best to serve not only my brother and sister veteran, but everyone here today. I have the honor of serving alongside a dedicated group of veterans at the American Legion Post 238 here in Woodland Park. We are honored by the support given to us by our families, the community of Woodland Park and our wonderful Auxiliary. As I sat in my office, sometimes in silence, and sometimes with an event above my head, the problem became easier to understand. For throughout our country’s history whenever our days became dark, they were always followed by the light.
20 years ago, today the world lost 2,958 innocent lives due to the cowardly acts of 19 terrorists. They targeted our centers of finance and culture, the center of our military might and a third target we can only hypothesize about, as the intrepid passengers of Flight 93 saw to it that the four terrorists on board failed in their mission. Of the 2,958 lives lost, 412 were courageous first responders who ran into the Twin Towers over and over again, we can only guess what was running through their minds as they selflessly gave their lives so that others might live. 2,958 sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters never saw their families again. They’d no longer attend birthdays, no longer attend weddings, their dreams and aspirations were all wiped away that horrific morning. Their loss has been felt by all of us, but not as deeply as the 2,958 families whose grief knows no end, the holes in their hearts remain to this day, unmended. The victims of this heinous act come from every walk of life, every religion, and every color. Over 90 countries had citizens brutally murdered that morning. While we must always remember the lives lost, we cannot focus purely on loss of life, we must also celebrate how they lived, and live our lives in a manner that carries their legacy on with honor and dignity.
A world away in what was considered at the time to be a combat zone, September the 11th is etched in my mind, the news was given to me aboard my helicopter as we were securing the helicopter after a mission, the smell of the air surrounding my fellow Marines and I is fresh in my memory as if it was just 5 minutes ago. As much as I remember September the 11th clearly, I remember an equally significant day in American history: September the 12th.

When I think back to September the 12th, I remember dust covered Americans working in frantic unity to save the lives of perfect strangers. There were no political parties, no race, no color. We were Americans united in the common cause of saving and supporting as many lives as we could. American citizens have always had a rich empathy for others in their hearts, on September the 12th and days after it was on full display. In every town, city and borough American Flags were proudly displayed, yellow ribbons adorned trees that lined our roads. People volunteered their time, donated food, donated money, and donated blood. We checked in on eachother, making sure that everyone we came across felt cared for, heard, and supported. We were a country united, and we lived our national motto of E pluribus unum: Out of many, one.
The terrorists hoped that Americans would freeze in fear and succumb to the weight of that fear, turning inward and against one another. But Americans do not fall to fear so readily. Americans were galvanized and resolute, what they hoped would break us, made us stronger and as Epictetus once wrote we grabbed the “other handle”.
Nearly 2000 years ago Epictetus, a Greek Stoic philosopher wrote:
“Everything has two handles, the one by which it may be carried, the other by which it cannot. If your brother acts unjustly, don't lay hold on the action by the handle of his injustice, for by that it cannot be carried; but by the opposite, that he is your brother, that he was brought up with you; and thus, you will lay hold on it, as it is to be carried.”
We put aside all of our issues, we found common ground, we worked endlessly with and for eachother, we grieved, and we started to heal, together, as one nation.
Here we are 20 years later, and on this somber date in very troubling times I implore you, all of you, regardless of your political affiliation, your religion, your color, your gender or your ethnicity, to come back together as Americans. Support eachother, uplift eachother, honor eachother. The sort of healing our great nation needs today and, in the days, weeks, and years ahead can only be reached if we all grab the other handle.

20 years ago this morning, Americans woke up in a nation at peace. We did not know that the peace we enjoyed would be shattered this faithful morning. 2,958 innocent lives from over 90 countries were lost that morning in NYC, DC and a field in PA. The next 20 years we spent fighting a global war on Terrorism. We remember their lives and carry them with us as we continue to heal as a nation. Never Forget. #911

Members and volunteers from the Woodland Park American Legion Post 238 assist in Woodland Park’s Hurricane Ida cleanup efforts. When the community calls, Post 238 answers the call. Pictured Carl Rinaldi, Jairo Rodriguez, Erik Luker, Alhaam Omary (volunteer). Not pictured: Abraham Millan.

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We hold these truths

244 years ago a great experiment was born. Molded by the blood sweat and sacrifice of intrepid citizens who would no longer live under the British crown and guided by ideals that while revolutionary, as no British colonies at that time had ever gained independence from British rule, were the natural order of humans. To be free, to be in control of their destinies, and those 13 American colonies knew that there was more and that there needed to be a government of the people, and subservient to the people in place. That their new experiment would have to sustain the ideals of those American colonists, and that their ideals, while not something that they could fully implement during their time would have to send a message, a hope, and a promise to the future generations of Americans, that would become our birthright and our mission.

That “all men are created equal”. The new experiment in freedom would become the United States of America, they knew in their imperfection and flaws that the greatness of that promise would one day come to fruition if we only had a fraction of the courage of our founding ancestors. This is the message of unity that today stands for, that is the symbol of unity that fly’s from our homes, at places of business, and on at the gravesites of the few of us, who believed in that promise so dearly that we’d die to see that promise come to fruition.

We have come a long way from the first colonies to gain independence back in 1776, and we’ve done well to keep to seeing the promise that our forbearers made in our name. Our work, however, is not done. How could it be? We remain the “shining city on the hill” and so many around the world look to these United States for what they are and what they represent. It is incumbent upon us all, those who have and those who have not to work together to realize “a more perfect Union”.

The United States of America comprises the very best of the world, as we are a composite of all of the world's people. We come from different places, we worship differently, we speak different languages and have different ethnic cultures. We come together, in unity, over our founding principles, and it is this diversity, this collective perspective that makes us great. It is our greatest strength. Nowhere else has people of every stripe, color, and creed died in defense of a great promise, an incredible experiment.

Today we celebrate you America, in all of your colors, and your smiles. The way your citizens laugh and the way that your citizens love. We may argue, sometimes to the point of ignorance, but we do so as Americans because we all realize that for this experiment in freedom we call America to exist, that great promise must come to fruition for all.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,”



Happy Independence Day from the Veterans of the Woodland Park American Legion.

The Woodland Park American Legion is out taking part in the Woodland Park Farmers Market. Part of the Woodland Park American Legion mission is community engagement, and we are proud to participate in community projects and events whenever we can.

Yesterday the Woodland Park American Legion, accompanied by the Wanaque American Legion conducted it’s annual Flag Day ceremony. Each year Post 238 retires Our Nations colors with the respect and deference she deserves. The American Flag is not a symbol of perfection or exceptionalism. It’s simply a symbol of promise. The promise of America is what keeps our shores visited by the best and the brightest the world has to offer. It is the promise that has captured both the imagination and admiration of the world. It is a promise that we as Americans MUST deliver on. Not for some people but for all people. Folks of all stripes have fought and died in service to this experiment we call America. It is in their name we conduct this ceremony, and it is in the hope in the future this grand promise is realized. E. Pluribus Unum - Out of many, One. That is who we are. This is the soul of these United States.